Kerry Rose has a rare profession. He is a farmer, and he is proud of it. Though many people reading this article are farmers and ranchers, there are fewer every day. When not working on his farm, Kerry works with the Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) to help make sure farmers and ranchers remember they are on the same team.
Kerry became associated with the MCGA 6 or 7 years ago when a group of area farmers were considering building an ethanol plant in the area, and MCGA helped by providing the farmers with some research. After that initial meeting, Kerry ended up on the MCGA board for a term, and now he works for them part time as a Field Specialist. He also works with The Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC) which uses the cent per bushel it receives from the check-off program to promote corn usage and find new markets.
One of Kerry’s current responsibilities is meeting with area cattleman and helping to spread knowledge about the uses and possibilities for distiller’s grain. “As a corn grower, I want to help cattle producers,” Kerry said. He also pointed out that “livestock producers are the biggest customers for corn,” so it is logical that grain producers want to keep their customers happy. For instance, the MCMC is running various trait trials on different common brands and varieties of corn. Though yield trials are put out by many different groups, MCGA is looking even deeper. They look at the protein content, oil content, starch and many other attributes. There is surprising variation between even the most common hybrids in many areas. So if producers separated varieties, they could give their consumers a more consistent product and, in theory, everyone wins.
Distillers grain is a good example of a winning situation for corn growers and cattle producers. The ethanol producers extract the starch from the corn to produce ethanol, and the “co-product” can then be used for animal feed. Until recently, it was difficult for smaller producers to obtain distillers grain, but Kerry and the MCMC are working to make it much easier to use. One of their current tactics is by packaging it in bulk tote bags. A bulk bag is small enough that most producers have the equipment to transport it, but it is a large enough quantity to last them for a while. It is especially easy to use for producers who are in the habit of feeding their animals by the bucketful.
High quality feed at a reasonable price is a perfect example of what Kerry and the MCMC are working on. “We are all small,” Kerry said, “but the success of any segment of agriculture depends on the other parts.” He went on to say that though all commodity prices are cyclical and all producers have gone through ups and downs, he feels that farmers and ranchers are all in for an upswing in the next few years.
“Weather and markets affect how the year goes, but politics and laws determine if we can still farm,” Kerry said. He also said that his work with the MCGA has “opened his eyes” about what goes on in Washington D.C. and Jefferson City, Mo., effects local producers. He thinks that there should be a grass-roots movement to make sure that elected officials know how life is in the country.
It is inevitable that farmers and ranchers will occasionally find themselves at odds with each other, but it is also unavoidable that they must stick together to do what is best for rural communities and economies. Luckily, there are people like Kerry Rose who are working to make the partnership of farmers and ranchers even better.
